Seven Years After
by Nerd Extraordinaire
Summary: Seven years after the war, something threatens to jeopardize the peace of the wizarding world once more. What or who it is, nobody knows. But one thing is for sure, it's subtle, deadly and cold as the night. Amid the chaos, George befriends a mysterious boy who might just play a big part in this madness. And this boy can either be their salvation or their destruction.


Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything in the wizarding world. 

**Seven Years After**

Prologue

"What do you want?" asked the child tersely, his eyes carefully studying the man across the room. The man only smiled and stared at him with curiosity and hunger burning bright in his golden eyes. The child stared square back, his own dark eyes set intently upon the stranger's golden ones. For a moment, neither one of them moved—the boy sitting motionless at the foot of his bed, the man stood unmoving by the steel door. Finally, the man broke his stare and moved towards the chair near the bed.

"Don't go near me if you don't want to get hurt." The child warned flashing a dark look at the man. "I have strange powers that can hurt everyone who goes near me." The man just chuckled at the boy's words and seated himself at the wooden chair.

"You can't hurt me, child. I've got magic too." He hissed as he leaned towards the child.

The child looked at him and arched his eyebrows, surprised by what the man had said.

"You mean to say I'm not the only one?" He whispered in bewilderment, his glum face brightening a little. The thought of having someone just like him thrilled him. Then his face went grim again. The child knew not if this strange fellow was telling the truth or not. Maybe the man was just playing with him, making fun of his _slight_difference. He thought for a while.

"But I'm different. I'm not normal, am I not? That's why I never get to play with other kids and feel the sun on my skin." He sounded remorseful and frail.

"Oh no. You're not normal, boy." The man confirmed with a sly smile. "Just like me, you're a wizard."

"Are you a wizard, too?"

The child almost believed him but the child was smart. He let out a sudden laugh, as if he had gone bonkers.

"This is so silly! A strange man all suit up comes into my cell and tells me I'm a wizard! Wizards only exist in fairytales, sir. You must be more mental than I thought."

The man just flashed him a smile, a smile so eerie and creepy. He looked at the boy, his golden eyes glinting with dark amusement and brandished a stick from his pocket.

"Nox." He said and the lights abruptly went out. The child's laughter died away and silence filled the room once more. "Now do you believe me, boy?" the man inquired in the darkness. No answer.

"That's what I thought so." The man uttered with satisfaction. He waved the stick once more and as soon as it went out, the lights came back on.

"Why are you here? Just to tell me I'm like you? I don't need someone telling me what I am. It still doesn't change the fact that I have strangely lethal magic. Even to you."

"Dear child, how naive you seem! But within you is great understanding!" he exclaimed. "But I'm here to take you with me. I want your peculiarly strong powers. I want your aid."

"You want me? You want my powers?"

"Yes. Now pack your things for we shall leave at once. I have told these muggles I'm taking you. It was quite hard to persuade them to give you into my care but after a while, they yielded."

"Muggles? Is that what you call normal people? For what are you using me for? What will you do to me?" It was all too fast for him and still has a lot of questions running in his mind.

"Just hurry on, boy. Take all your belongings with you—books and clothes. But leave the toys. I don't want some petty distractions for my grand plan."

"Your grand plan? What do I get in return for my services?"

"Witty lad, are you? Well, you'll get what you desire the most-freedom. You will see the world and gain more knowledge. I promise you a better life. Better than this. You won't be shut out from the world. You'll be accepted."

"How inviting..." the boy said warily, eyeing the man suspiciously. "I'll think about it as I pack."

"And I hope you give my offer much consideration. It's not a bad deal. It's a pretty good bargain."

The boy rushed around the tiny cell, stuffing everything he had in his bag. He owned just a little stuff, two weeks' worth of clothes and a number of books—an encyclopedia, an atlas, three fairytales and a fictional novel entitled "The Lord of the Rings". He stopped at his tracks and looked at the toys in a tiny box in his closet. They were only a little compared to what other kids have in his age but at least he had toys. Secretly, he took a little teddy and snuck it inside his bag when the man wasn't looking. It was the toy Miss Thatchet, his caretaker, gave him on his 5th birthday. It was a beautiful memory. Miss Thatchet was always so kind to him but then, she died just two years ago...on his birthday. And it was his fault; his powers were just so strong and uncontrollable then. He blinked a tear away and focused on _now_. He'd be out of his steely four-walled cell and be free. He'd be able to feel the sun warm on his skin, whatever warm was. And he'd be with people like him. The thought excited him.

"Ehem ehem. Be quick, boy." The man waited impatiently at the door, his face growing more annoyed by the minute. Clearly, he didn't like to wait.

"Yes, I'm ready." The boy said, standing up and sliding his backpack across his back. He stood for a minute with his head bent down. _Can I trust this man?_ He thought. _I don't even know his name._

"Prove to me I can trust you. I don't even know your name."

"Some wise child, eh? I like that."

The child didn't say anything but turned his head towards the stranger, waiting for an answer.

"My name is Grendell Grindlewald. And isn't my freeing you from this children's asylum enough to prove you I'm worthy of your trust?"

"No, it isn't. It takes more than just that."

A flash of red glinted in Grendell's golden pools of eyes. "Don't get cocky with me, _boy._ Might as well take this opportunity to be free." He snapped. "I don't even know your name."

"I don't even have one. But they do call me Tom around here. I look like a Tom, they said."

"Well Tom, do you want to leave or will you not? I haven't got all day." The man said impatiently.

Tom thought for awhile, his hand on his pocket, the other on his dark hair. The man was his only way out but the man didn't look trustworthy. Everything about him-his golden curls, golden eyes, his lithe figure-was just all etched in lies. But he needed to decide quick. After weighing some thought in the matter, resolution came to him.

"Okay. I'm coming." He announced nonchalantly. He could always protect himself if things happened, he thought. After all, he's got powers and it's really _dangerous. More deadly than the man could have ever known._

He strode towards the man and the man grinned with some mad malicious look in his eyes. He's got a plan; the child knew enough of that. What it was, he couldn't figure out. But it was surely going accordingly as the man had hoped. 

A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for reading. Well, this is my first published fanfic and I think a review would be nice. I accept criticisms but make sure it's CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM and not destructive, okay? Anyway, I'd probably be publishing Chapter 1 when I'd be done with the Chapter 1 of my thesis. Soon enough. Haha.


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